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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174165">when it's done, i can smile</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/macabremoonlight/pseuds/macabremoonlight'>macabremoonlight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IT (Movies - Muschietti)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), Eddie gets his wisdom teeth out, M/M, Wisdom Teeth, it's pretty minimal but it's there, sexual content mostly at the beginning, that's the whole fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:29:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,161</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/macabremoonlight/pseuds/macabremoonlight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"I’m going to get you all bundled up in our bed, and then I’m going to get you an ice pack and a popsicle.”</p><p>“Sounds cold.”</p><p>“And then we are going to snuggle and watch the rest of the movie in here until we fall asleep.” He kissed his head again. “And tomorrow you’ll call the dentist and figure out what’s going on in that big mouth of yours.”</p><p>Eddie coughed around a laugh and pulled away from him. “I hate you. Get me cherry.”</p><p>--</p><p>In which Eddie gets his wisdom teeth out, and Richie just wants to help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>103</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>when it's done, i can smile</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I posted one fic four years ago, spiraled into two different fandoms, and here we are!</p><p>This is pure self-indulgence in that I wanted to write a wisdom teeth fic that focused more on the lead-up rather than the recovery, with Richie calling Eddie as many nicknames as possible.</p><p>Content warning for very brief emeto mention! Skip from "Richie stumbled his way into the single bathroom" to "He’d succeeded in getting Eddie somewhat calm." Please let me know if there's anything else that needs a warning!</p><p>Thank you very much for reading!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> Operation: Lovemaking </em>was in full swing that Tuesday night. Richie had set the mood perfectly: jasmine scented candles on the coffee table, the lights dimmed, and Netflix up and ready to go.</p><p>His husband was coming home with Chinese takeout, and if Richie was lucky, he’d be able to seduce him before the movie they chose was even over.</p><p>The front door creaked open, and Richie positioned himself on the couch.</p><p>“It’s me,” Eddie called. It was cute how he said that every day, like it would ever be anyone else. There was shuffling from the hallway, and Richie could picture exactly what was happening. His bag was dropped inside the door first. Then came his coat, hung on its hook. Finally, his shoes, which were untied and placed neatly on the top shelf of their shoe rack. Eddie’s shoes went on top so if any guests came over they might miss Richie’s thrown on the bottom shelf.</p><p>Richie cleared his throat, then pulled out the sultriest voice he had. “In the living room, baby.”</p><p>There was a snort before Eddie appeared from around the corner, his button-down still tucked into his slacks. Not for long, if Richie had anything to say about it. He raised an eyebrow at him and leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed. “Please tell me you’ve been waiting there for me for an inappropriate amount of time.”</p><p>He was on his stomach with his arms underneath his head and his back arched so his ass stuck up in the air. His knees were bent against the arm of the couch so his feet stuck up against the back at an awkward angle. He had dressed for the occasion in a t-shirt and maroon boxers covered in little cartoon peaches. </p><p>“I’ve been here all day, this is how I normally lounge on the couch,” he said with a grin, making sure to wiggle his ass when Eddie’s gaze reached it. “Are you turned on, Eddie, baby? Are you gonna jump my bones? Ravish me?”</p><p>His husband squinted at him, then shook his head. “No. I’m going to eat my beef and broccoli and watch a show with you, and then we can talk sex.”</p><p>Which should not have excited him as much as it did.</p><p>“Damn. Can’t believe my expert seduction didn’t win you over.” Richie slumped into the couch, which ended up an even more uncomfortable position than before. “Were you even a little turned on?”</p><p>“Not at all, dear,” he said with a smirk, turning around to grab the food from the kitchen. After a year of marriage, Richie knew this meant <em> yes, but I can control myself </em>, or something like that.</p><p>When Eddie returned with their plates, they fought over what to watch for at least ten minutes, which was the only way they ever watched Netflix. </p><p>Richie’s mouth was full of orange chicken as he shouted at Eddie across the room. “We are <em> not </em> watching <em> The Great British Baking Show </em>. You know shows like that give me anxiety!”</p><p>“How the fuck does a baking show give you anxiety, Richie? It’s like the calmest fucking show I’ve ever seen!” Eddie was standing next to the TV and pointing at the screen like he could pick the show with sheer force of will.</p><p>“Because,” he said, throwing his hands in the air, “The fucking...the fucking time limit, and what if the cakes fall apart or don’t bake?” He sat forward and jabbed a finger at him. “Eddie, last time we watched the show, someone <em> passed out. </em>” </p><p>“It lasted two seconds, he was <em> fine. </em>” </p><p>“He could’ve cracked his head open!”</p><p>“The medic caught him before he even fell, Richie.” He paused. “Why does it feel like we should be arguing the opposite points right now?”</p><p>Richie blinked at him. “Oh shit, yeah. That’s funny.” He laughed, then choked a little on his chicken. “Anyway, I wanna watch <em> Shrek the Musical. </em>”</p><p>Which is how they ended up watching <em> Back to the Future </em>for the third time that month, since it was the only thing they could ever agree on.</p><p>Halfway through the movie, Richie resumed his mission. They’d finished eating and abandoned their plates on the coffee table, so his hands were free to stick a sneaky one under the blanket they shared and slowly snake it up Eddie’s leg and to his crotch.</p><p>“I wanna watch the movie, Rich,” Eddie grunted, taking his hand. “I told you we should watch a TV show, but you insisted on a movie, so we’re watching the movie.” And god, Richie would take him right there if he asked. </p><p>“Oh, baby, you know how much I love our foreplay,” Richie drawled, cupping his cheek with his other hand and kissing him.</p><p>Eddie’s lips twitched in a brief smile before he shoved Richie’s face away. “I’m serious, I wanna watch this. It’s getting to the good part.”</p><p>“Okay, first of all, it’s all the <em> good part </em>. Second of all, we’ve seen his movie so many goddamn times. I don’t know how you don’t know it by heart yet.” He dropped his head on Eddie’s shoulder. “You’d really rather finish watching this than feast your eyes on the hot, extremely sexy man right in front of you?”</p><p>Eddie pointed to the screen. “Michael J. Fox is right there.” </p><p>Richie gasped, tearing his hand away and falling dramatically onto his back in Eddie’s lap. “Betrayed by my own husband.”</p><p>He rolled his eyes. “Richard.”</p><p>“Edward. Honey. My love. My life. All I’m asking for is sex with my beautiful husband before I <em> die, </em>” he groaned. “I’m not exaggerating, I think I’ll perish.” He slumped over into Eddie’s lap, long limbs sprawling out in every direction. “Oh, I feel so weak, the room is spinning, it’s getting so dark…” </p><p>Eddie punched him lightly in the arm, and he laughed and curled up with his face pressed in his stomach, his arms circling his waist. He could hear Eddie chuckling above him.</p><p>“Oh, and we certainly wouldn’t want that,” he sighed, pulling at Richie’s shirt. “Get up here.” </p><p>And he’d decided long ago he would do anything for him if he just asked. He sat up on Eddie’s lap, his thighs on either side of him, and took his face in his hands. Brushed his thumbs over the cute dimples and crows feet that deepened when he squinted up at him. Gazed into the big brown eyes that trapped him under their spell.</p><p>“What are you looking at?” His husband spoke up, and Richie couldn’t hear the movie anymore.</p><p>Richie smiled. “You.”</p><p>He hummed, his fingers tangling in the curls at Richie’s neck. “Like what you see?”</p><p>“Always,” he said, and craned his neck to kiss him. “Does this mean the seduction worked?”</p><p>“It always works. I just have self control.” And Eddie took his hand and pulled him to the bedroom, the movie forgotten in their haste to remove each other’s clothes.</p><p>***</p><p>Eddie was sucking the life out of him through his dick when he pulled away like he’d been slapped. “<em> Fuck. </em>” He covered his face with his hands and curled up in the blankets. “Ow, shit…”</p><p>After the haze had cleared from his brain, Richie swore his heart stopped beating entirely. “Whoa...Eddie? What, what’s wrong?” He scrambled onto his knees and bent over him, hands darting uselessly around his body but never touching. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”</p><p>He just let out a grunt, then lifted his hand in a weak thumbs up. “M’fine, pretty good.” It wasn’t reassuring in the slightest, and Richie felt like he couldn’t catch his breath.</p><p>“Honey, please,” he begged. “Tell me what hurts, tell me what to do. Should I call an ambulance?”</p><p>Eddie’s hand was suddenly tight around his wrist. “<em> No. </em>” They sat in silence for a few moments, only their frantic breaths filling the space. “I’m okay,” he finally spoke, and Richie stopped breathing entirely. </p><p>“...Yeah?”</p><p>His husband nodded slowly, face still hidden in the blankets. “My jaw just...hurts? And I think that...aggravated it.”</p><p>It took a few seconds for Richie’s brain to catch up with the situation, and when it finally did, he let out a strained laugh and slumped over him. </p><p>“Oh, am I too big for you?” he teased, then poked him lightly in the cheek. But when he recoiled from the touch, Richie sat up and scrambled away from him so he didn’t hurt him any worse. “S-Sorry, I didn’t...does it really hurt that bad?”</p><p>“Yes, I mean, I wasn’t <em> joking </em>,” he snapped, sitting up slowly and cradling his own cheeks in his hands. “It’s hurt all week. My gums, too.”</p><p>Richie paused, squinting at him. “And you’re…you’re <em> sure </em> it has nothing to do with my massive penis?”</p><p>“I will literally kill you right here in our bed.” He shoved his shoulder, then seemed to change his mind and grabbed his arm to pull him closer. “I don’t know what it is.”</p><p>Richie wriggled his way back to sit against the pillows, then manhandled Eddie so he could hold him. Their bare skin was pressed warm together. “Baby’s first cavity?” </p><p>The smaller man huffed a breath out of his nose as he laid his head down on his chest and wrapped his arms around him. “On both sides?” He shook his head. “I practice great dental hygiene, Richie. I set a timer for two minutes three times a day to make sure that doesn’t happen.”</p><p>He pulled Eddie tighter to him, breathing in the smell of his sweat and tangerine body wash. “I know, honey. You should get a teeth-brushing trophy.”</p><p>“I should.”</p><p>“Fuck, why didn’t you tell me, Eds? I never would’ve let you blow me if I would’ve known!”</p><p>“Because if I told you it would’ve made it more real,” he said, his face flushing before he hid it in Richie’s chest. “I thought if I didn’t tell you then maybe it would go away by itself.” He sniffed. “It’s going to go away. I’m not sick.”</p><p>Richie sucked in a deep breath, then slowly let it out. He remembered, vaguely, how Eddie’s mother kept him from playing outside with the rest of them as much as she could. How she told them all how sick he was, when he wasn’t sick at all. How he finally got away from that when the two of them left for college and never turned back. </p><p>“Yeah, ‘course, Eddie,” he murmured, pressing a kiss in his hair. “I know you’re not. You’ve just got a little toothache. Nothing to worry about, yeah? You can just call the dentist tomorrow so she can take a look at it. I’ll even call if you want.”</p><p>He just nodded. Richie let them sit in the quiet for a while as his heart rate slowed. Sex interrupted by terror was a combination that didn’t feel much different than running a marathon. Not that he’d ever run one, but he could imagine.</p><p>After what may have only been a few minutes but could have been hours, Eddie stirred. “Hey, you didn’t get to finish, let me…” But Richie tightened his arms around him.</p><p>“Nope, I’m good. Thinking you were having a medical emergency kind of killed my boner, actually, if you can believe it,” he chuckled.</p><p>Eddie had the audacity to look embarrassed, like it was his fault. “I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you another day,” he said, reaching up to stroke Richie’s cheek. </p><p>“I’m sure you will, you sexy man,” Richie hummed. “But you don’t have to. For now, I’m going to get you all bundled up in our bed, and then I’m going to get you an ice pack and a popsicle.”</p><p>“Sounds cold.”</p><p>“And <em> then </em> we are going to snuggle and watch the rest of the movie in here until we fall asleep.” He kissed his head again. “And tomorrow you’ll call the dentist and figure out what’s going on in that big mouth of yours.”</p><p>Eddie coughed around a laugh and pulled away from him. “I hate you. Get me cherry.”</p><p>***</p><p>Richie woke to darkness and a cold bed. He flung his arm out to the side just to be sure—definitely no husband next to him. </p><p>“Eds?” he croaked, blinking bleary eyes as he shoved his glasses on to see the clock. <em> 4:45. </em>“Oh, what the fuck…” He rolled himself out of bed and pulled on his wrinkled t-shirt from the floor, then dragged himself out of the bedroom.</p><p>He found Eddie hunched over his laptop at the kitchen table, his socked feet tapping on the floor. The screen lit up his pinched face as he scrolled.</p><p>“Eddie?” Richie called softly, and he jumped, banging his knee on the table.</p><p>“Fuck! What?” He whirled around in the chair with wild eyes and balled fists, and Richie held up his hands in defense.</p><p>“Whoa, whoa, hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said as he slowly stepped closer to him.</p><p>“You didn’t scare me, I was just…It doesn’t matter.” He shook his head and slammed the laptop closed, but not before Richie saw the <em> WebMD </em> banner across the screen.</p><p>“Oh, Eddie…”</p><p>“Stop,” he said quickly, his jaw set. “Don’t, okay? I know.” Richie stepped up behind him and ran his fingers through his hair. His shoulders slumped just a little. “I couldn’t sleep, and the office isn’t open yet, so I thought I’d do some research myself—”</p><p>“I know you don’t need me to tell you how bad that is—”</p><p>“You’re right, I don’t,” he snapped. “It said I could have gum disease, Richie. It said I could be having a <em> fucking heart attack. </em>”</p><p>He wrapped his arms around the other’s shoulders. “Sweetheart…I know you’re fragile right now, but I want to be honest with you. I am banning you from that fucking website.”</p><p>“What? You can’t <em> ban </em>me from a website, Richie,” he scoffed, but rested his hands gently on his wrists.</p><p>“I’m putting a lock on it.”</p><p>“You don’t even know how to do that, asshole,” he said, turning around to look at him. His eyes were desperate.</p><p>“I could figure it out.” He kissed his nose, then bent down to touch their foreheads together. “Listen to me. You are not having a heart attack, and I would bet this house that you don’t have gum disease. It’s probably just a cavity, or maybe you’re just, like, clenching your jaw 24/7 because you’re stressing out about things like your job and the pain you’re having from clenching your jaw 24/7. Right?”</p><p>Eddie sighed, letting his eyes slip closed, and Richie kissed them. “Okay,” he said finally. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I’m trying not to freak out. It’s just...scary, not knowing.”</p><p>Richie nodded, then pulled away to take his hands. “I know. But you can call the dentist first thing in the morning to make an appointment. By the way, that’s in about 2 hours, so <em> please </em>come back to bed with me. I’ll even be the big spoon, just for you.” </p><p>“Okay…” He let Richie pull him up. “Thank you.”</p><p>“Anything for you, my Spaghetti head. Now let’s get you to bed.” He draped himself over the smaller man as he led him back to the bedroom, tucked him in, and slid in behind him to hold him until the sun came up.</p><p>***</p><p>Eddie threw himself into the driver’s seat and slammed the door hard enough to shake the car.</p><p>Richie winced. “Well, you know, it could’ve been worse…”</p><p>“My <em> wisdom teeth? </em>” he shouted.</p><p>It had been just under a week since that night, and Eddie took the afternoon off to go to his dentist appointment. He’d argued adamantly that he didn’t want Richie to come with him, but Richie knew he was just lying because he didn’t want to bother him when he was supposed to be writing. Like he couldn’t find something funny in an office filled with plastic models of teeth and tubes specifically made to suck up liquid.</p><p>“My fucking wisdom teeth? I’m forty fucking years old, what the <em> fuck </em>does she mean I have to get my wisdom teeth out?” He strangled the seatbelt like it owed him money.</p><p>Richie did not know how to handle this. “Well, ya know...You just have so much wisdom that there’s not enough room for it in your little body anymore—”</p><p>“Shut <em> up, </em>Richie,” he snapped, clicking the belt into place and then chopping the air with his hand. It was cute that he still did that, and Richie wondered if he noticed. “I just think it’s ridiculous that I’m supposed to believe the pain won’t eventually go away if I take better care of my teeth. If I brush for four minutes instead of two, and gargle with antiseptic mouthwash, and use my Waterpik three times a day after meals, and—”</p><p>Richie reached over to catch his hand. “Baby, this isn’t something you can ignore like that. She said you could have an infection—”</p><p>His husband ripped his hand away. “<em> Don’t </em> say that, don’t fucking say that to me.” And Richie knew he meant to yell it, but it came out more as a plea. He unbuckled his husband’s seatbelt to pull him into his arms, and Eddie let out a harsh sob into his shoulder.</p><p>And Richie would do anything to take his pain away. But all he could do was hold him until he cried himself out, his shaky fingers clutching Richie’s shirt. </p><p>His sobs eventually quieted into shaky breaths. He sniffed and slowly removed himself from Richie’s hold, wiping his wet face with his wrists. “Sorry,” he mumbled, his voice thick. “Ugh.”</p><p>“Nothin’ to apologize for, darlin’,” Richie responded, pulling a tissue out of the center console to wipe away his tears. He hoped Eddie couldn’t hear his voice shaking. “Unless you’re apologizing for the gearshift digging into my ribs, in which case, I accept.” That drew a small smile to Eddie’s lips, but he covered his mouth to hide it. </p><p>“Saw that,” he said with a grin, and brought Eddie’s hand to his lips to kiss it. “Listen. You don’t have anything to be scared of. It’s a small procedure, not even at a hospital or anything. You remember when I got my wisdom teeth out sophomore year? It was totally fine, and I got to stay home from school and eat ice cream for a whole week.” He gave his hand a squeeze. “And <em> you </em>get to stay home from work for at least a week and have me cater to your every whim.”</p><p>Eddie looked down at his lap, refusing to meet his gaze. “I don’t want you to take care of me.”</p><p>“Well have you thought that maybe I want to take care of you?” he offered. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, Eddie, but you ordering me around kind of does it for me.” He gasped, then, bouncing in his seat. “Oh! I can even buy a little maid’s outfit to wear! I can microwave you soup and scoop you ice cream and tuck you into bed all while wearing a tiny little skirt, oh my god, I have to order one right now.” He was already pulling up Amazon when Eddie ripped his phone away from him.</p><p>“You are <em> not </em>buying a maid’s outfit. Absolutely not.” </p><p>“Oh, yeah, talk dirty to me,” he said, and laughed as Eddie’s cheeks flushed red. When he finally calmed down, he gave his husband a more subdued smile. “Hey. I mean it, though. I love you, and I <em> want </em>to take care of you. In sickness and in health, right?”</p><p>Eddie finally did smile at that, and leaned over to kiss him. “Yeah. Yeah, okay,” he said, nodding. “I love you, too. I...I would let you buy a maid’s outfit if you really wanted.”</p><p>“Oh, I know,” he grinned. “Hey, hey, you should let me drive home. You look exhausted and I have so much adrenaline I feel like I could kill a man.”</p><p>His husband laughed, and oh, how he loved that sound. “That’s cute, Richie. We both know you can’t drive stick to save your life.”</p><p>“Oh, I can drive someone’s stick…” </p><p>“That doesn’t make any fucking sense.” He buckled his seatbelt and started the car. Richie grinned over at him.</p><p>“But you love me,” he hummed.</p><p>His husband looked at him, and that’s all he needed. But Eddie always gave him more. “Of course I do.”</p><p>***</p><p>Richie almost bowled Eddie over completely when he stopped short in front of the entrance door to the oral surgery office. He swore loudly and grabbed Eddie’s shoulders to catch his balance. “Jesus, Eddie, warn a guy.” </p><p>The man was tense under his grip. “I just decided I don’t want to do this, actually,” he said, and spun around to make his escape. </p><p>“Whoa, whoa, whoa, no you don’t!” He wrapped his arms around his waist to stop him, and Eddie squirmed and smacked at his hands to try to get him to let go.</p><p>“Richie, I’m serious, let go of me! I’m going home!”</p><p>He just squeezed tighter. “No you’re <em> not </em> , Eddie, it’s going to be okay. I’ll be here the whole time, you’re going to be <em> fine. </em>”</p><p>“I can’t do it, I can’t,” he gasped. “God damn it—”</p><p>“You can, sweetheart,” he said, letting go of him to cup his face, and all the fight left him. “Look at me. You can do this. You’re the bravest man I know, Eds. You just gonna let those teeth keep hurting you? That’s not the Eddie Kaspbrak I know.”</p><p>Eddie just blinked up at him for a few seconds. Then: “It’s <em> Tozier, </em>asshole. How long have we been married and you forget your own last name?” </p><p>Richie felt like his heart might burst. “There he is.” He took his hand. “C’mon. I got you.” </p><p>They made their way inside the office, Eddie squeezing his hand tighter when the stale smell of the waiting room hit them. Richie placed his other hand between his shoulder blades before he could try to turn around again. “Just a dentist,” he murmured in his ear.</p><p>“Still a surgeon,” Eddie grumbled.</p><p>He signed him in, hoping Eddie wouldn’t see his own hand shaking as he gripped the pen, then led him to a seat not far away. As they waited, he kept up a string of encouraging words, keeping his voice quiet and steady. Panic was building low in his own chest, but he would never forgive himself if he let his nerves show.</p><p>Eddie has always been the brave one.</p><p>“Edward?” Someone finally called, and his husband looked at him in panic.</p><p>“Rich—”</p><p>“I’ll come with you,” he said quickly, standing up and tugging Eddie with him. “They’re gonna have to kick me out if they don’t want me back there with my man.”</p><p>The hygienist led them back to a small room with a big dentist’s chair in the middle. Richie felt a little sick looking at all the sharp tools on the table next to it. Why the hell would they just have those sitting there? He had to let go of Eddie’s hand to sit on the little stool in the corner, but kept a reassuring smile plastered on his face as the hygienist asked Eddie about his family history and any medication he might be allergic to. </p><p>“You’re gonna be just fine,” Richie said while they waited alone for the dentist who was going to operate. “And I’m gonna be right there to meet you when you wake up.”</p><p>Eddie was glaring up at the ceiling and tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair, counting out a breathing exercise in his head.  “Promise?”</p><p>“Cross my heart,” he said, leaning over to kiss his forehead.</p><p>It didn’t take long for the procedure to get rolling. The surgeon came in to meet them, and minutes later Eddie had a needle in his arm. It hadn’t come without argument, though, Eddie adamant that they didn’t know what they were doing, and were they sure they sterilized the needle correctly?</p><p>Richie thought he might pass out just looking at it. </p><p>The hygienist spoke up when she saw the way they were clutching each other’s hands, their knuckles white. “Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, Edward? What do you like to do for fun?”</p><p>Eddie dragged his gaze from Richie’s. “Uh,” he said, clearing his throat and glancing down as she taped the needle down in his arm. “I like...I like to run, and I like, uh, cars.” His hand was already relaxing in Richie’s grasp.</p><p>“Cars, huh?” She hummed. “That’s very cool. What got you into cars?”</p><p>“I used to…In college, I worked for a mechanic, helping out with…with the cars, and...” His eyes were beginning to droop, but he kept blinking them open again. Sluggish panic spread over his face. “Richie…”</p><p>“Don’t fight it, Eds,” he murmured. “They’re gonna take good care of you for me.” The surgeon walked back in the door, then, and gave Richie a smile.</p><p>Eddie’s eyes began to roll and he mumbled something incoherent, and Richie squeezed his hand as he slipped under. The crease between his eyebrows smoothed out, and his body went limp in the chair.</p><p>“All right, sir.” Someone spoke from the doorway and ripped Richie’s attention away from his unconscious husband. “My name’s Mark, I’m gonna take you back to the waiting room, okay? We’ll call you back when he’s coming out of the anesthesia.”</p><p>He nodded slowly and rose from his seat on shaky legs. “Yeah...yeah, okay…” He followed him down the hallway and into the waiting room. “Uh, where’s the restroom?”</p><p>“Right around the corner, there.”</p><p>Richie stumbled his way into the single bathroom, locking the door behind him before falling to his knees in front of the toilet and, yep, he thought he’d be getting sick before this, so he was proud of himself for lasting this long.</p><p>He’d succeeded in getting Eddie somewhat calm about the whole thing, but he’d blissfully forgotten about his own pesky anxiety disorder for a while, and now all the nerves seemed to be catching up with him. He couldn’t stop trembling as he washed his hands, like he was being blended up from the inside. His red eyes and bloodless face told him he looked about as good as he felt. He dragged his hands over his face, then ran them through his rat’s nest hair. </p><p>Eddie was going to be fine. It was surgery on his <em> teeth </em> . It was kind of high risk because he was in his fucking <em> forties, why the fuck hadn’t he gotten them out before this— </em>but it was just his teeth. So...he would be okay, and Richie was going to drive him home and cuddle the hell out of him while he iced his face.</p><p>He just had to work on not throwing up again or passing out before that happened. </p><p>***</p><p>After an hour of trying to keep his breathing under control while he stared at the emails he should reply to, he caught the end of his last name through the haze in his brain. </p><p>“—zier? Edward Tozier?”</p><p>He shot out of the chair and staggered toward that same assistant who brought him out earlier. “Hey, here, is he out? Is he okay?”</p><p>Mark held his hands up in a comforting gesture. “He’s fine, the procedure went very well.” He looked Richie up and down. “Are...you all right? Do you need to sit down, sir?”</p><p>He shook his head. “I’m good! I’m so good. Great. Where is he?” It took him every ounce of self-restraint he had not to shake the man by his shoulders and demand to see his husband. “Can I see him, please?”</p><p>He led him down the hallway into a small office that Eddie was definitely not in, and his shoulders slumped. Mark gestured for him to sit in one of the chairs in front of the big desk.</p><p>“He’s just coming out of the anesthesia now,” he said. “He’ll be out soon, but the surgeon is going to come talk to you first about caring for the wounds after you get home, and what to expect.”</p><p>He wasn’t sure if he responded, or when Mark left, but the surgeon was suddenly sitting in front of him, and probably speaking, but Richie could barely hear it over his desperation to see Eddie and make sure he was okay. His nightmares were definitely going to be haunted by the way he looked in that chair, lacking the control that was always so important to him.</p><p>“Mr. Tozier?” He heard, and when he tore himself from his thoughts he found himself staring at the floor, both knees bouncing. “Here,” the dentist said, and handed him a pamphlet that he took with numb fingers. “This will tell you everything you need to know. Just make sure you read it when you get home, okay?”</p><p>He nodded. “Thanks...Sorry I’m not, um, an attentive student, I’m just…”</p><p>“It’s okay,” he replied. “I know it’s a hard time right now, but we took good care of him.” He glanced behind Richie and smiled. “Ah! Here he is.”</p><p>Richie whirled around in the chair and his vision tunneled. Eddie sat in front of him, still fully slumped in a wheelchair, his cheeks puffy with gauze and his bottom lip flecked with blood. His gaze was far away as he stared straight through Richie.</p><p>“He looks fucking awful,” He blurted. “Is he okay?”</p><p>“Perfectly fine,” Mark spoke up behind him. “Had a little trouble getting him from one chair to another, which just means he’s still pretty out of it.” He gave him a reassuring smile. “He’ll just be a little high for a while. He’ll come back to earth soon enough.”</p><p>There was probably a joke in there somewhere about being jealous, but he didn’t have the energy to find it. “Awesome. Can I take him home now?”</p><p>The surgeon gave him the prescription for Eddie’s pain medication and a package of gauze, and Richie followed Mark out like a lost puppy. He could barely remember where he parked, but he managed to find his car and bring it to the front, where Mark waited with Eddie in the chair.</p><p>“Alrighty, let’s get this show on the road,” Richie said, hopping out and opening the passenger door for him. He and Mark both lifted Eddie, who was still completely uncooperative, into the seat, and Richie reached over to buckle him. When he did, his husband caught his gaze, his eyes looking even bigger than usual.</p><p>“If you need anything else, just shout. You two have a good day, now,” Mark said, laughing as Richie shouted his gratitude to him profusely until he disappeared back inside the front door.</p><p>He glanced back at Eddie, who was still staring at him, not yet having said a single word. “How you feeling, little bee?”</p><p>His husband worked his mouth a bit, his brow furrowing. “Fuzzy.”</p><p>Richie cackled, all the tension leaving him in waves as he kissed his husband’s forehead. “Oh, yeah, I’ve never seen you this high before. Not even at Stan’s birthday last year.”</p><p>Eddie looked puzzled. “When?”</p><p>He couldn’t help but giggle. “You’re so cute. Just stay there, okay? I’m just gonna come around to get in the other side.”</p><p>Once he was buckled in, he looked over to see Eddie staring at him again. He looked like a sad puppy, the way his eyebrows were drooping over his eyes even more than usual. God, Richie just wanted to hold him.</p><p>Instead, he stretched his lips in a grin. “Like what you see?” He gyrated his hips as best he could without slamming his pelvis into the steering wheel.</p><p>He gave Richie a once-over, which might have done something for him if his eyes weren’t so unfocused and his face weren’t so swollen and droopy. “Uh-huh.”</p><p>“Well, feel free to ogle as I drive you home, my love. This is a free show, just for you.” He glanced over to see Eddie holding something in his hands. “Hey, are those ice packs?”</p><p>Eddie looked down, brow furrowed in concentration. “Yeah.”</p><p>“Oh, well, shit, you’re supposed to put them on your face, honey,” he chuckled, helping Eddie lift his hands up and hold the ice to his cheeks. “Feel good?”</p><p>He shrugged one shoulder. “Yeah.”  And Richie laughed, petting his hair and then pulling out of the front circle to take him home.</p><p>After they pulled in the driveway, he helped him out of the car, and Eddie hung off of him like a rag doll, completely boneless. </p><p>“The nickname Spaghetti is feeling really appropriate right now,” he grunted. “Baby, can you please help me a little bit? I know I’m bigger than you but I do not have the upper body strength you do.”</p><p>“Weak bitch.” He tightened his arms around his neck.</p><p>“Don’t be mean to me, I’m helping you,” he huffed. “Okay. Okay, great, this is better, I guess.” He wrapped his arm around Eddie’s waist and pushed the car door shut with the other. “Let’s get you to bed, then, noodle.”</p><p>He led Eddie inside the house, half-carrying him like a handsome sack of potatoes to their bedroom and helping him into bed. He looked a bit more lucid now, and Richie grinned at him as he sunk back into their mountain of pillows.</p><p>He pressed the ice packs into his hands again. “Hold these on your face, don’t go anywhere. I gotta go get the rest of your stuff,” he said, then ran out of the room. He didn’t actually think Eddie was going to disappear, but panic punched him in the chest anyway with every step he took toward the car.</p><p>He stopped short when he saw the gauze. Fuck. Replacing Eddie’s gauze was definitely something he was going to have to do within the next, like, half hour, maybe sooner.</p><p>With the papers and gauze in hand, he ran back into the house, all but panting when he returned to the bedroom. Eddie was in the exact same place, looking up at him with bleary eyes. His cheeks were starting to swell more, and he looked like a little confused chipmunk.</p><p>“Got your gauze,” he said, sitting next to him and holding it up. “Probably gonna have to change that soon, so that’ll be fun.”</p><p>Eddie squinted at him. “Gauze…?” He brought clumsy fingers up to his mouth to poke at the bloodsoaked stuff in his mouth. “Oh, ew, what the fuck.”</p><p>Richie caught his wrist and gently guided it back in his lap. “Don’t touch it, man, that’s gross.” You of all people should know how easy it could be to spread germs in there.”</p><p>“Why would you <em> say that— </em>” </p><p>“Okay, okay, shh, chill out. We’ll wait a little while to change it,” he offered, getting into bed next to him to hold him like he’d wanted all day.</p><p>Eddie relaxed in his arms, his head on Richie’s sternum. He tried not to flinch as the ice brushed up against his chest, instead running his fingers through Eddie’s hair. He smelled...sterile, for lack of a better word. Richie kind of hated it, but the fact he could feel him and hold him in his arms meant Eddie had gotten through it okay, which made it easier.</p><p>He started to doze, feeling absolutely sapped of energy. His limbs sunk into the mattress, and he could feel hear Eddie’s breath evening out, too. He wasn’t sure how long they dozed, but Eddie’s voice woke him eventually.</p><p>“Rich?”</p><p>“Mmm…” He blinked a few times to wake himself up. “Yeah, Eds? What’s up?”</p><p>It took a while for him to speak again, like he was thinking about his words carefully through his haze. “Thanks for helping me. You’re my favorite.”</p><p>Richie smiled so big he thought his face could split. “Oh yeah? I’m your favorite, huh?”</p><p>He hummed softly. “Yeah. You know you are. I love you.”</p><p>Tears sprung to Richie’s eyes. Damn bastard tears. “Oh.”</p><p>Eddie pushed himself up to look at him, swollen cheeks and all. “Don’t cry, sweetheart…” He wiped Richie’s tears with his fingers, and nearly poked his eye out in the process. “Sorry.”</p><p>Richie laughed. “S’okay, Eds.” He guided him back down onto his chest. “Hey, you’re my favorite, too. I love you so much, Eds, you know that?”</p><p>“I know.” He rested his hand against Richie’s cheek. “Nap with me?”</p><p>And Richie knew he had to change the gauze, had to switch out the ice, had to fill the prescription. But if Eddie was giving him the chance to hold him for just a few minutes longer, he’d take it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Come talk to me on <a href="https://twitter.com/macabremoonlit">Twitter!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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